Stories From the Frontline Jan. 2017

1-31-17 ~ LaDonna Tamakawastewin Allard… calling all veterans and Standing Rock allies to go to Standing Rock! They need everyone’s help to fight the black snake! LaDonna says if you can go support them at Standing Rock do so asap!

1-30-17 ~ The Standing Rock Water Protectors … had some apprehension about returning to Standing Rock due to all of the sensational and mostly false reports about military invasions and mass eviction of the camps. It was a relief to find most of the people calm and not too concerned about deadlines. There was one report of “Massive military buildup”. I never saw it. When I arrived I found the camp at work organizing a move to higher ground but it was a controlled plan and very methodical. Continue Readinghttp://tinyurl.com/j4akpbu

1-30-17 Cheryl Angel, Sicangu Lakota – Rose Bud, SD… “I felt an obligation, because the water was under attack. It wasn’t a Lakota calling. It was an Earth calling. And the river she called, and thousands came..

There is so much work to be done here on so many different levels. So the work I’ve done, I would say is — I’m a gatherer of resources, of people, of prayers. That’s what I’ve been doing. And then I’m a giver, also. I give praise. I give thanks. I try to give good words to encourage people, and my time. I give of my time. If I’m walking somewhere to do something and someone needs time, help, or encouragement, then I’ll stop and do what I can to encourage that person, and then I’ll just get to where I’m going later.”

1-30-17 ~ The Trump presidency and the United States’ First Nations are on a collision course brought about purely by Trump’s racism and hatred of anyone who gets in his way.

After Trump took power, the White House website was changed and its Native American page was taken down. The pages for civil rights, people with disabilities and climate change also disappeared. In their place was a biography of Melania Trump.

Earlier, Obama renamed Mount McKinley in Alaska to Mount Denali, which is the Native American name for the mountain. This incensed Trump, who vowed that when he became president he would return the name Mount McKinley to the country’s highest mountain. This is a small matter, but it illustrates Trump’s temperament and micromanagement approach.

The Trump government is quickly proving that it’s no fan of Native Americans, and Trump’s negative relations with Native Americans goes way back.

In the 1990s, when Native American casinos were expanding, they began to cut into his gambling profits. He began a fake news campaign that Native American casinos were run by the mafia and career criminals. He even stated that some tribes were faking their ancestry.

Meanwhile, Trump tried to strike a management deal with the Agua Caliente Band in Palm Springs; they turned him down, further inflaming his bruised ego.

In 2000, the St Regis Mohawk tribe at Akwesasne planned a casino, and a series of ads came out in local newspapers with pictures of hypodermic needles and lines of coke. The caption read, “Are these the kind of neighbours you want?” The ads were sponsored by an organization called the New York State Institute for Law and Society. As it turned out, Donald Trump was the principal funder.
The repeal of the Affordable Care Act, also called ObamaCare, will have a serious effect on Native American tribes. When the act was passed it included the Indian Health Care Act and a funding stream was established to fund Indian health care. Since ObamaCare is about to be repealed, no allowance has been made for Native American health care.

Like Canada, health care is promised in many of the treaties in the United States, but their implementation is spotty.
This brings us to the Dakota Access Pipeline, which has been under attack by the Standing Rock Sioux Nation. President Obama refused to grant a licence to tunnel under the river, instead calling upon the Army Corps of Engineers to find an alternate route. The Republican state governor, along with the Republican representatives, were all in favour of pushing ahead. North Dakota state Senator John Hoven (Republican) has been elected chairman of the Senate Committee on Indian Affairs. Hoven has been an outspoken opponent of the action taken by the Standing Rock tribe.

Standing Rock faces a perfect storm of law makers from the president on down who have no qualms about crushing opposition to the pipeline.
Trump signed a presidential memorandum calling for the re-authorization of the Dakota Access Pipeline in spite of the fact that the Army Corps of Engineers had denied Energy Transfer Partners, the pipeline owner, an easement to tunnel under the Missouri River at Standing Rock. The Army Corps is currently studying alternate routes for the pipeline.

The question is, can the environmental process be rescinded by a presidential memorandum?

The Dakota Access Pipeline has become the line in the sand where America’s next Indian war will be fought; the new battlefield will be the courtroom. The Standing Rock tribe has stated that they will take the government to court and tie them up for years.

The tribe can move forward on three fronts: first, they have the moral authority to protect their land and water; second, they have the legal authority based on their treaties; third, they have the political authority based on a nation to nation relationship with the United States, and unilateral action by one party cannot be allowed.

It’s becoming obvious that Trump has little regard or knowledge of process and the role of government. Governments are not there to be run like a corporation, but have checks and balances and due process. It’s a lesson the Standing Rock Sioux Nation is about to teach him.

DISCLAIMER ~ The photo of the above tipi’s burning is not from Standing Rock it is from the movie trailer Wounded Knee. HOWEVER 76 Water Protectors were arrested for saying Treaty Rights should be respected. The police arrested those brave people on stolen Treaty land make no mistake. We hope for their quick release.

2-1-17 ~ Police Raid Standing Rock Camp, Destroy Tipis and Are Burning What Remains… 68 arrested.. The 7 tipi’s were burned. Chase Iron Eyes and Steven Jeffrey Chrisjohn are among the ones arrested. Morton County is overwhelmed so other counties are taking in the arrested. I am sick to my stomach with worry. Many of those arrested are the ones who broadcast out the most.”

UPDATE 2-3-17 ~ Law enforcement showed up at LaDonna Tamakawastewin Allard’s front door on Thursday, claiming the need to perform an “assessment” of the Camp of the Sacred Stones — the original Dakota Access Pipeline opposition camp erected in early April — but refused to offer a warrant or explanation for the sudden appearance Continue Reading http://tinyurl.com/jdn7cnm

MORE LIES1-30-17 ~ Who is Coming Into Camp?
This morning, everyone in camp is seeking clear answers.
This morning, we NEED to know what is going to be happening in the next couple of days.

This is a statement from the people who plan to bring heavy machinery into camp. There WILL NOT be a raid. We were assured multiple times last night at Prairie Knights Casino by several government representatives including the Executive Director of Indian Affairs from North Dakota, and the Brownfield Coordinator from Standing Rock Sioux Tribe EPA.

This conversation happened in the presence of the Communications Director from the Governor’s Office, General Al Dohrmann, the North Dakota Commander of the National Guard, the Director of Emergency Services, someone from the State Health Department, the Department of Transportation, and the Army Corps of Engineers, the BIA and Morton County. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) from Thunder Valley and Standing Rock Sioux Tribe will be sending volunteers to help as well.

What is not clear is the timeline, but we should be prepared, and representatives from camp were also present to emphasize what our priorities are in terms of:
Protecting the Water by making sure the camp site is clear, so that nothing washes into the river with the floods we are expecting.
2. Keeping everyone in camp safe, with careful attention paid to the perpetual stress and pressure everyone has been exposed to.
3. Doing all we can to avoid a violent or armed conflict.
4. Assuring all Law Enforcement and State Agencies that people in camp have worked very hard to develop an efficient plan in line with public safety and environmental health.

Water Protectors have been here and offered to help us with this large task are standing strong together, ready to come help with camp clean up and with moving those who want to stay to higher ground.

Leaders from Rosebud/Sicangu Camp, Oceti Sakowin Camp, Tribal Elders, the Medics and Healer’s Council, Cannon Ball community, and Water Protectors were there to talk with the Tribal, State and Law Enforcement Agencies. Concerns for the community relationships of Standing Rock and neighboring cities and towns were discussed at length. We need to leave this sacred ground better than we found it, environmentally, physically, emotionally and with special regard to racial tensions.

1-29-17 ~ Standing Rock Update… We are told that the 1806 blockade is going to be removed. DAPL side is to back off the bridge and the parts of Turtle Island we can see so as not to be such an agitating presence. They say they will remove weapons from their side. Given the current administration, many are dubious about this news. The tribal council says they will not be sending in people to remove us but still ask us to leave by the 30th. We wonder if ACOE is about to give jurisdiction to Morton County to come in and remove us. Some assume the tribal council may be privy to a move of such sort and as such think the 30th leave date is a warning. I stay as far away from speculation as possible while remaining aware of my surroundings. We continue to question and denounce Trump’s decisions. My phone seems to be taking screenshots by itself. Things are ever changing. Media has been around the last several days but we have a hard time finding what is being said about camp because of connectivity issues. We send our love to all supporters (and non supporters) and our families and appreciate the sacrifice our families make having us out here.
Many people are making a call for more protectors to come.

1-28-17 ~ Oceti Sakowin Camp, The Horn
January 28th, 2016
Local Leadership comes to decision, Oceti Sakowin Headsmen meet with ND Governor.
Cannon Ball River, ND – After days of deliberation between the North Dakota Governor’s office, the Oceti Sakowin Headsmen Council and numerous Tribal Reps – the state will begin taking apart the backwater bridge barricade. Removing razor wire, and some of the concrete. They have also agreed to pull back the visible amount of the Nat’l Guard on the hills overlooking camp. The Governor’s office has also stated that they will encourage law enforcement near the backwater bridge to not have any weapons (lethal or non-lethal) on their person during this desecalation.

So we, the Headsmen Council, are asking everyone respect this process and let them remove the barricade in order to ensure the task is managed safely.

This was NOT a negotiated agreement between our parties. The Governor, based on demands given by Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and the Headsmen Council, decided to take the aforementioned steps of his own volition with only the verbal commiment by our party to tell the camps of the Governor’s plans.

Monday January 30, 2016
We will begin the process of cleaning up discarded and abandoned camp sites and unneeded trash and/or supplies. We will have volunteers bringing heavy machinery, dump trucks, drop boxes and bobcats to help.

Meanwhile, we have a call out for allies and people across the country to stand up where they are, and enact mass civil disobedience as a showing of solidarity for Standing Rock. The fire of the Oceti Sakowin has been taken by 10,000 potential organizers from across Turtle Island, people who have been trained in Nonviolent direct action and we need you to hit the ground immediately to help educate others and further this movement.

We continue to be thankful and encourage all to stand strong and take courage.

Lila Wopila,
Oceti Sakowin Camp Leadership

1-25-17 Laurie Frenette… I have been holding off on doing a post about my experience at the Women’s March on Washington until I had time to process a lot of the emotions surrounding it. I want to make clear that anything I do express is simply my opinion and my opinion only – not fact. This is also going to be somewhat stream of consciousness, so if you’re going to jump on my sentence structure or grammar, you may want to just move along. By the same token, this is probably going to be too long for any of you to really want to read, so again, move along.

Personally, I had some real concerns about some of the things about the march to the point of which I was unsure about going. There were things that I felt that were being expressed and done that the media and those opposing the march could grasp onto and focus on instead of trying to report or understand what the march was actually about. Unfortunately, that has proven to be true to a degree, but overall my experience with the march and the people I interacted with was positive and I truly believe that this is just the beginning of women around the world taking a stand and letting this administration know that we are not easily dismissed and that we will be watching the actions of those that represent us.(Yes, that was a run on sentence. Move along English teachers, move along!)

Any of you that know me know that the events that I have seen happen at Standing Rock have shaken me to the core. I am ashamed that it took me so long to become informed on this issue and to try to become involved in some small way. What indigenous people understand is that we are not separate from the planet we live on – we are not here to rule it, we are here to take care of it. If we continue to rape the earth, pollute our water and air and drive animals into extinction we are destroying our very future – the future of our children and grandchildren.

I have watched as militarized forces have attacked Native Americans and their allies with unnecessary force and brutality and then lied about what they did even when confronted with video and photographic evidence. I watched the live stream videos from the Backwater Bridge on November 20th, with tears rolling down my face and a strangled scream in my throat. I finally realized just how corrupt our government has become and how civil rights are cast aside as they were nothing when it benefits the powers that be. I lost complete and total faith in a president that brought that allowed that violence to come about by saying “Let’s let this play out” in the weeks before instead of being a true and just leader and stepping in to take action that could have avoided innocent people being severely injured.

I marched on Washington because of the Water Protectors and the young warriors at Standing Rock. I marched on Washington because American citizens should not be subject to such a blatant disregard of civil rights. I marched on Washington because I have finally gained at least some small understanding of white privilege. I marched on Washington because no man should have the right to tell a woman what she can and cannot do with her own body. I marched to ease my own damn feelings of guilt for being so naive and so complacent for so damn long. I did not march to protest Trump being elected president, I marched because the whole freaking system is generally fucked and we are quickly moving towards to destroying ourselves. So hate away haters, and I will take a lesson learned from the good people of Standing Rock – I will pray for you and for your children.

Kristeen Irigoyen-Hernandez… The March for Women sham was originally planned by the Democratic Party to celebrate Clinton’s victory but didn’t pan out so they went with an anti-Trump rally instead. The obvious first question should have been: why a communal march in the streets as a form of protest?

Female activists succumbed to one of the most enduring myths of contemporary American protests: the comforting belief; “if you can get enough people in the streets from diverse demographics, unified behind a message, the powers that be will be forced to cave in to the crowd’s wishes”.

The Women’s March was destined to be ineffective because there was never any message, no organizational agenda, no set goal for the protest other than “I’m woman hear me roar”; There was no clear path from marching about reproductive rights, equal pay, affordable health care, clean water or anything of value to march toward. No one bothered to ask “What was supposed to come afterward?”

With no specific goals or objectives other than meeting their personal psychological need for love and belonging, this event was nothing more than an amusing communal coffee klatch to build self-esteem; a feel good pretentiousness of festooned (primarily) White women in knitted pink pussy hats (did these snowflakes not realize not everyone’s genitalia is pink), women costumed in cartoon female pudenda, not even caring if they don’t actually know where their vagina’s are, their faces depicting vaginal orifices with faux (I hope) menstrual blood waste smeared across their cheeks simulating war paint.

These females were a laughingstock; by mocking their own bodies they demeaned and reduced themselves to tragic vaudevillian caricatures, focused solely on summarizing women as body parts rather than emulating the efforts of historically consciousness-raising women who made a positive healing impact on equality. Instead these cosmic yahoo’s over shadowed those who came to embrace the women’s liberation movement i.e. Feminist Movement with power; not a pity party of victimization.

The Women’s March comedic extravaganza was merely a show of shriveled jellybean feelings plunging them into a psychological coma of mass therapy, a seductive substitute for action countering Trump’s butt hurt tantrum. The only awareness raised from this ridiculous embarrassment to all women only gave more comedic fodder to the media “Isn’t that cute, women are such amusing little creatures. Now go sit down so we can get back to business.”

The Women’s March was nothing more than a social experience; crowds of people mutually experiencing a feel good moment and allowing themselves to erroneously conclude they’d actually accomplished something profound; forever forging togetherness as elite members of an enlightened and cohesive community, but ultimately the only thing they managed to prove was a bunch of vulgarly dressed gaggling women holding up signs could get together and gather a bigger crowd than attended Trump’s Inauguration.

1-27-17 ~ Eric Poemz… An important update from E-Poemz! Eric phoned the Poison Control Ctr about symptoms he was having. Poison Control Ctr told Eric to go to emergency asap to get tested for Rozol and other poisons!
If you were or still are at Standing Rock:
If you have any of the following symptoms:
-back pain
-dizziness
-nausea
-coughing
-coughing up blood
-vomiting
-headaches
-confusion
-nose bleeds
phone the Poison Control Ctr at (800) 222-1222…..talk to them first before going to emergency…..if you are referred for testing at emergency the Poison Control Ctr will contact the emergency department you are going to on your behalf….and you will be seen right away for testing etc.

1-26-17 ~ You may have known that the Indian Treaties of 1851 and 1868 declare the Standing Rock Reservation to be much bigger than it is today, including encompassing land that the Dakota Access Pipeline is being illegally built on. But there is a clause you might not have heard about. That clause allows Natives to take up arms and ARREST “Bad men among the whites” who violate the treaty,

The “Bad Men” clause of the 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty provides: “If bad men among the whites, or among other people subject to the authority of the United States, shall commit any wrong upon the person or property of the Indians, the United States will, upon proof made to the agent and forwarded to the Commissioner of Indian Affairs at Washington City, proceed at once to cause the offender to be arrested and punished according to the laws of the United States, and also reimburse the injured person for the loss sustained.”

This means that the “Bad Men Among the whites” using police brutality, stealing land, breaking these treaties all in the pursuit of their imagined profit can be arrested by armed Native Americans.

This is not a call to take up arms, it is a call to educate yourself about the rights that have been promised to you by these treaties.

Remember, the U.S. Constitution itself says that treaties supersede later laws. That means no matter what land the government later annexed from Standing Rock, that is STILL Native Land legally and constitutionally!
Transcript of Treaty of Fort Laramie (1868) ARTICLE Ihttp://tinyurl.com/jcazevf

1-26-17 ~ Grennan Milliken… “A barrier would sever animal populations living in the fragile desert ecosystems of the US-Mexico border from food resources, mates, and important migration routes. Such a disruption would deal an irreparable blow to countless species, including extraordinarily rare ones like the Sonoran jaguar and Mexican gray wolf.” Continue Readinghttp://tinyurl.com/jrbv4l6

1-26-17 ~ MICHAEL J. SAINATO… Ed Blackcloud was the lone dissenter at the council meeting, criticizing the council’s actions, insisting it was wrong to force the protesters to go home. The founder of the original protest camp, Sacred Stone Camp at Standing Rock, LaDonna Tamakawestewin Allard, refused to attend the council meeting and has said she does not intend to close down her camp, which lies on her own private land. Allard formed a 510c3 with plans to build a permanent green energy camp at the site.

In addition to this recent bad news on two different fronts for water protectors against the Dakota Access Pipeline, an EPA investigation found that 40,000 pounds of rat poison were illegally distributed on ranches very close to the Standing Rock camps. The Save the Buffalo Nation issued a press release advising Standing Rock water protectors they may have bene unknowingly exposed to the rat poison chemicals;“many people have come back from the camps reporting symptoms and illnesses of what is referred to as the “DAPL” cough, bloody noses, fatigue and some people have reported to have coughing up blood.” Continue Reading http://tinyurl.com/z6w6o3u

1-26-17 ~ Oceti Sakowin… “We are putting a call out immediately for allies and people to stand up where they are, mass civil disobedience as a showing of solidarity for standing rock, the fire exists within them and now is the time to let them reignite.

The heart of standing rock beats everywhere, the fire has been taken by 10,000 potential organizers nationwide and we need you to hit the ground immediately. Demand people Divest from big banks and help us Defund DAPL!

1-26-17 ~ Olowaan Plain… I just want to say that water protectors wearing protective gear is NOT an act of aggression it is an act of protection for our lives.. We don’t want to get shot but as we all know Morton County Sheriff’s Department does shoot us.. Rubber bullets are real bullets as told to us by the representative from the UN Council on human rights violations.. We all know that those bullets go through clothing and skin.. We want to live!! We want to be able to go home to our families.. I love you all.. Please be safe!

1-26-17 ~ Steven Jeffrey Chrisjohn… Remember camp is NOT CLOSED. WE ARE UNDER THREAT OF EVICTION. BUT HAS NOT PASSED NOR IS GRANTED (YET) or how they will proceed. This land we are on is Treaty Land. It is part of many tribes Land that was promised via TREATY long ago. So many people are still here. There is still room. They are saying eminently the water flood will come. (Me not so sure) nor do a lot of relatives know either. But will become muddy and ucky if does attempt to flood. So. Camp is still open. You are welcome to join.

But remember. We are under threat of Standing Rock installing BIA official cops roadblocks (rumor) and they asked Morton or somebody to aide them in removal of the Camps.

Also, new camps are being established as we speak. Be patient as we know more. You know more. But as of right now this day. CAMP IS OPEN

Guess this is a rumor disclaimer lol. Safe travels and prayers to all

Actions ,that go on, are Purely prayer. Those disregarding these rules will be asked to Leave. This is a responsible community and we have a task at representing ourselves as the water protectors full of strength and determination to protect the land.

1-25-17 ~ Chase IronEyes… Sometime last night My Facebook was suspended for a post calling out TrumpTyranny. This isn’t the 1st time my accounts been disabled, the last time I posted a pic of my mom with other grandmothers posing with a stolen Nazi flag when white supremacists attempted a takeover at Leith, ND. I’m creating a MEWE acct to supplement fb & Twitter @chaseironeyes

1-25-17 ~ Linda Black Elk… I’d just like to express a heartfelt “wopila,” THANK YOU to Ronda Rousey (and her amazing friend, Pauline!) for her ongoing support of the water protectors and for all of the amazing food and supplies that she dropped off in camp. She is an amazing woman and athlete, and an inspiration to women everywhere.

1-25-17 ~ Jim Fergie Chambers… Yesterday DAPL dipped in and out of our campgrounds with snowmobiles all day, and began posing as camp security on radios to lure people out to certain locations, in one instance promising “hot frybread and food for anyone who can come meet at the bridge.”

Over the evening, we heard reports of trucks creating road barricades by semi-solitary encampments, and then two more arrests on turtle island. In that case, those arrested also had their windows shot out by DAPL.

Notice I don’t usually specify troopers, sheriff, DAPL security, etc. We often don’t know and we never care. They’re all DAPL, they’re all ETP, they’re all Trump, they’re all America.

The raid did not occur; the scare was planted by them, though in this instance, whatever they did was enough to have folks out here, especially the elders, believing it more than other times. The threat still lingers, especially as they seem very emboldened. We await with barricades.

More Akicitas have arrived, and there is talk of Anipis going up, and more ceremonies returning. Hope is here.

Today it’s colder again, and snow is falling, but it’s still relatively mild and more folks are joining camp again. All is well.

1-23-17 ~ David Kam… For Immediate Release

PUBLIC HEALTH WARNING AND ADVISORY FOR STANDING ROCK
“Possible Chlorophacinone (ROZOL) dangerous rat poison exposure”
Cannonball, North Dakota, Jan. 23, 2017 – This public health warning and advisory for Standing Rock is being issued by us as a precaution to those who have passed though the camps in and around the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe.

Water protectors (aka known as protesters) who have been camped out since April 1st, 2016 at the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe reservation area may have been unknowing exposed to a dangerous and toxic rat poison known as Chlorophacinone (ROZOL).

An article appeared in the Bismark Tribune below that has more details for the poisoning inclident.

Some 350 indigenous nations and up to 20,000 people passed through the camps to protest against the Dakota Access Pipeline, setting up camps in various locations in and around the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe Reservation. Many people have come back from the camps reporting symptoms and illnesses of what is referred to as the DAPL cough, bloody noses, fatigue and some people have reported to have coughing up blood.

The 900 buffaloes at the David Meyer’s former Cannonball Ranch near the Standing Rock Sioux Reservation as well as on the former Wilder Ranch to the south have been under quarantine due to the illegal application of Chlorophacinone (ROZOL) until September of 2017. David and Ernie Fisher who shared a grazing lease on the same pesticide laced Cannonball Ranch had another herd of 600 animals on the same ranch. They reported having as many as 14 dead or missing animals, which they claimed were killed and eaten by the water protectors (protesters).

The article in the Bismark Tribune states, “The situation dates to April, when six dead bald eagles and dead bison were discovered at the former Wilder Ranch. An Environmental Protection Agency-led investigation found that 40,000 pounds of ROZOL poison had been illegally distributed across more than 5,400 acres on both ranches, according to EPA documents.” Upon investigation by the EPA, the ranch had dead bald eagles, dead prairie dogs, and dead bison.
Chlorophacinone makes creatures that ingest it bleed from every orifice and stagger around for the week or two or three it takes them to die, attracting predators and scavengers. Whatever eats the anticoagulant-laced victim dies, too. The creatures meat is unfit for human consumption and can cause blood clots. Highly toxic if it enters the food chain. Exposure to Chlorophacinone can come from skin contact of an infected animal, handling feces and urine, consuming the meat of the animal and direct contact with land and water contaminated with Chlorophacinone.

Even the feces from the animals are considered bio-hazard material. The effects of long term exposure of Chlorophacinone is unknown and there are no safe limits to having safe amounts of Chlorophacinone in your system after exposure.

“The EPA order for the cleanup was to : tilling of all misapplied ROZOL to ensure there is no longer any ROZOL on the surface of the pasture land or any other land;”

This means the 40,000 pounds of ROZOL poison was just to bury it in the soil, contaminating the water and soil around the ranches area. This means there was no real clean up of the contaminated land.

The adult buffalo are under quarantine until September 2017, though yearlings were released from the no-sale hold on Jan. 1, 2017. Upon calling the EPA, it was reported that 100 yearlings under quarantine until Jan 1, 2017 were sold on Jan 7, 2017 to unsuspecting buyers who might put the bisons into the food chain. Beverly Fisher in the article says that none of these yearlings were ever under quarantine that was sold. The EPA reports that some of the bisons sold were those under quarantine. Someone is not telling the truth here.

From the EPA docket Docket No. RCRA-8-2016 for the bison incident was dated April 22, 2016, just right after protests started for the Dakota Access Pipeline. The case is still under investigation.http://tinyurl.com/j42m5el
About the Save the Buffalo Nation Campaign

The Save the Buffalo Nation Campaign is a campaign to create Buffalo Sanctuary Cooperatives to return and restore 250,000 buffaloes to their ancestral lands, starting with locations near the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe.

The Save the Buffalo Nation Campaign is headed by Mother Earth Trust, a sovereign that manages World Heritage Sanctuaries and also manages the World Basic Income Program.

The Save the Buffalo Nation Campaign is also supported by Free Nations United to Heal Our Mother Earth, a sovereign that manages Water is Life Unity Alliance that is supported by 20 indigenous nations and sovereigns.

1-23-17 ~ Standing Rock Protectors – Pipeline Protest… I’m seeing 3 breaking stories about Standing Rock from the past couple of days that must get out. Two of them are so bad I am feeling the onset of shock and more trauma for all upon hearing them. One of them is beautiful, but given the information in the first story below, I am having a hard time cerebrating the good that is happening.

The first story from yesterday is about possible massive Rozol poisoning of Protectors. Yes- massive poisoning. It looks like there has to have been an EPA cover-up, or at least a ‘failure to notify’ Protectors of massive amounts of this poison on the ground at Standing Rock. Many animals have died. Many people have reported symptoms… This is the ground Protectors have been camped on for many months. The ground where animals and children played for months. The ground where floods happen and carry all poison downstream. Meyers Ranch owners are responsible. All Protectors who have been to camp may have been victims of exposure to this poison. All Protectors must be tested immediately and should seek treatment if they have any health issues at all. It could be because of this poison. http://tinyurl.com/zywkyon

The second breaking story is about the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe (SRST) asking the federal government to evict all camps, including Sacred Stone Camp. This is the same federal government who has been brutalizing the Protectors for months. It is a deep betrayal we are seeing be uncovered. Much deeper than I can comprehend right now. It may very well be that the SRST had this plan from the beginning and never thought this movement would be a real movement, or that it would be so big and last so long. They want it to go away now and clearly don’t care how. The Chairman got the name DAPL Dave a while back, but I was reserving judgment. Seems pretty clear now – the SRST council is likely on the DAPL payroll and are trying to cover-up the Rozol poison story before it gets out. http://tinyurl.com/z2pr2b2

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The third story, after the previous two, is really bittersweet… It is a letter from the Protectors sharing their guided, beautiful, legitimate direction. They plan to stay at camp no matter what happens. I don’t know if they know about the poison yet. http://tinyurl.com/6df9wo
I cannot believe things have come to this. This world can be such a horrific place. My heart hurts..

1-22-17~ Eryn Wise… Yesterday’s Women’s March on Washington was overwhelming. Upon our arrival Thomas and I were faced with the short tempers, inconsiderate nature and intensity of women we were supposed to be standing in solidarity with.

The indigenous folx present were able to carve out a space in front of the National Museum of the American Indian large enough to form a circle where we spoke, sang, and danced in honor of our foremothers. It was the only space in the march that, for me, felt inclusive and welcoming. After our rally as we tried to enter the march I watched many women be pushed, shoved, yelled at, and cut short by other women. An indigenous woman grabbed my hand, trying to lead me further into the march so that we could catch up with our group and at every turn there was another woman planting her feet before us and saying, “You can’t go by me here. You’ll have to go around.” When this happened friends looked on, nodding their approval and leading some others to even say that “these Indian girls lost their drums. That’s why they’re trying to get through us.”

I realized that I was in a space that had been created with good intention, under the guise of unification but in reality was for white feminists and their vaginas. I thought about my sweet trans, queer, non-identifying, intersectional, and non-white sisters that seemed absent in the crowd. For every ten pink pussy signs waving in my face, I saw one, maybe two, signs that represented women of color. It was weird and uncomfortable. Once the bubble of indigeneity was gone from around me I was desperate to leave.

I became frustrated with the crowd screaming, “This is what democracy looks like!”

SO many sisters and womyn were absent that I began to cry. Women who had only minutes earlier been shoving me out of their way began stopping to ask me what was wrong. “This is fake,” I found myself repeating. “I hate this.” Some tried to blame it on the size of the crowd. Others tried in very gentle ways to ask me if I was on or approaching my moon. Unintentional sexism dripped from the tongues of these women as they tried to calm me.

Not in my eyes, but I’m just one woman. Outside of my own experience, I have seen hundreds of my sisters uplifted by the Women’s Marches held around the globe. Many of them had never attended a rally, felt like they belonged so fully, or mattered as much. For these reasons, I am grateful that the marches took place. I just wish a more inclusive space had been created for the non-white feminists who truly need a voice, especially in the onset of Trump’s administration.

I am lucky enough to say that I was raised by many inspiring, and impactful women. My chosen family is full of brave, radical, two-spirit, and beautiful women; many of whom are with me in D.C. right now. I was able to attend the rally/march to speak and sing alongside women I deeply love and respect — for these gifts, I am grateful.

I write this to call upon the women out there reading along. Please do not forget your fellow women of color. Trans sisters. Undocumented sisters. Sisters of different faiths. Sisters without vaginas. Sisters with vaginas of different shapes, sizes, and colors — we do not all have perfect pink pussies – please do not encourage the narrative that there is only one way for a body to be. Please remember that the wounds of women first start with the great, intentional, and continual wounding of our Mother Earth. May we continue to rise together, with all our sisters, in honor of each other and Unci Maka.

1-22-17 ~ Lee Sprague… Standing Rock Tribal Council votes for Indian Removal Act. It’s Trail of Tears version includes allied Water Protectors. Making Indian People move in the dead of winter, because someone wants the land for farming, ranching, or industrial activities, sounds familiar to me. Now the Standing Rock Tribal Council wants to Trail of Tears us out of camp? It raises historical trauma, similar to our relatives who were force marched at the hands of the US Government, from their lands.

*Concerned about the loss of revenue to the Standing Rock Tribal Programs, Council votes to dip into the 6.5 million in legal funds that were contributions to Water Protectors.” Now they want to close down each Camp?
If the concern is public safety, as stated, sheltering in place during the harsh North Dakota Winter is the safest way forward, except for DAPL cowboying it up. The main camp is not on ‘Standing Rock’ lands, it should be though. The Army Corp of Engineers claims the land we are camped on.

In this picture is Alex. I stayed in his TIPI most of this winter until it became unlivable. Thanks Alex. Lots of good times in the Tipi. We kept our batteries and controllers in there for our solar wind power system. Ben moved it. Now folks know how to set up a solar/wind now thanks to Brad Kallio.
We all could use the legal funds.

1-22-17 Jacky Smith‎… As a white European woman, I’ve been watching this feed & commenting – I think this is the first time I’ve posted here. But I read something yesterday that hit home hard and I think it’s something people like me should notice. Someone who lives near Standing Rock said that they were scared about what might happen when the visiting water protectors go home, because they remembered the terrible things that happened at Pine Ridge after AIM went home in the 70’s. Well in the 70’s I was an activist and I noticed what was going on – but I couldnt figure out a way to find out more, or to do anything about it. And then I got involved in anti-apartheid, and didnt have time for any other campaigns. I apologise for that, from the bottom of my heart. This time, we have social media and a shedload of people all round the world are watching. We need to carry on watching, and noticing, and talking about it – and we need you guys living at Standing Rock to keep posting, keep telling us what’s going on, keep talking to us. This time I won’t get distracted, you’re top of my list. There are a lot of issues that the new president will be fighting on, we have to make sure that yours is one of the big ones. The UN are coming to investigate, the ACLU are out there, the guys that monitor the ethics of the government can be dragged kicking & screaming into the fight, climate change is getting to the point where only a combover dumbo who never goes outside can ignore it, the Chinese are making renewables so cheap that coal prices cant be propped up, gas prices are still so low that fracking makes a loss, the demand for oil is tanking. All these things are on your side, exactly as your ancestors predicted. Now is the time to keep praying, chanting, singing, dancing, talking and above all hoping. We are with you, and we’re not going to let go. Mni wicone!

1-21-17 ~ Steven Jeffrey Chrisjohn… Leaders of Standing Rock ask all camps to clean up and leave is the messages from Facebook Updater Steven Jeffrey Chrisjohn “We get frozen Rubber Bullets that can penetrate wood and skin. That’s the gift that we get. That’s the special the Indians get out here. We don’t 30 feet of distance before we get shot. We are lucky if we get 7 feet. I apologize if I put anything at risk for you at Standing Rock I only meant good will.” Steven Jeffrey Chrisjohn Read More http://tinyurl.com/z9dz8un

http://tinyurl.com/zty79ad 1-21-17 ~ Lyla June…I am a Diné (Navajo) woman but I wrote this last verse in Spanish because our native brothers and sisters in Central and South America experience a deeper suppression of thier culture and identity than we do up here in the “the states”. The Eagle and the Condor are coming together. This is why we are mislabeled “hispanic” or “latino”. Don’t let the imaginary border fool us. We are one tribe of Turtle Island! I also want to acknowledge that some of the first Indigenous Peopeles that were forced into hiding were the medicine women of Old Europe. They estimate that 6-9 million women were raped, beaten, tortured, burned alive or drowned alive for being “witches.” Let us reclaim our Earth Selves no matter what “race” you are and do it soon! The earth may depend on it.

Come join us at the Black Hills Unity Concert this weekend! September 9-11, 2016. www.TheUnityConcert.com. Many are headed to http://sacredstonecamp.org/ in Cannonball, ND after the concert to protect the water from DAPL. If the judge rules in our favor some might come to the concert to celebrate. #NoDAPL #ProtectMaunaKea #DoodaFracking#Run4Salmon

1-21-17 ~ Kaelly Salazar… Sorry for the poor photo quality, but I had to share this.
They are targetting those of us trying to document the situation. He was aiming right at me with his weapon. Jon Ziegler was targetted last night for live streaming and nearly lost his pinky. They were aiming for his phone. (Anyone have an update on him?)
Pray for these officers… Pray for us.

1-21-17 ~ Confluence Documentary with Dallas Goldtooth … WATER IS LIFE
The Lakota have long prophesied that one day a great black snake would slither through the land, pollute the water, and bring great destruction to the people and the Earth…. In 2014, Energy Transfer Partners announced plans to build a pipeline that would transport fracked crude from the Bakken formation to refineries in the Gulf Coast. Obama had recently lifted the ban on exporting petroleum via the international market; big oil needed to find a way to capitalize on this. Using the smokescreen of “energy independence from the Middle East,” as propaganda, the public in North Dakota believed that this was about decreasing our dependency on foreign oil. In all actuality, it was just about profits for oil companies and would create very few jobs here in the US. The Dakota Access Pipeline originally proposed route crossed the Missouri River near Bismarck, but was re-routed through native land in violation of several treaties signed with the government and threatened their drinking water supply (as well as for near 30 other million people downstream). When construction began and sacred burial sites were being destroyed, the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe realized that this was the manifestation of the prophecy of the black snake. It needed to be stopped.

In April of 2016, after runs across the country to raise awareness, members of the Youth Council set up camp along the Missouri River to protest the Dakota Access Pipeline. After putting out a call for support, the camps have swelled to as many as 10,000 Water Protectors from around 500 tribes as well as non-native allies who showed solidarity to the cause. An unprecedented peaceful demonstration, water protectors began praying and chaining themselves the DAPL construction equipment. Many were arrested by the Morton County Sheriff’s Department, who essentially was working as a private security force for Energy Transfer Partners.

In the beginning, there was a complete media blackout and independent journalists who were arriving to tell the story were being specifically targeted. Water protectors and free press were brutalized, shot with rubber bullets, attacked by viscous police dogs, shot with tear gas canisters, concussion grenades and pepper sprayed for protesting peacefully. Communications have been jammed using sting rays and dirt boxes; Indigenous leaders have been spied on in this advanced Orwellian surveillance state. To date, Energy Transfer Partners has spent near 200 million dollars in private security on top of 22 million in tax payer money for law enforcement to finance the paramilitary spectacle. Arrestees have been strip searched for misdemeanor trespassing offenses and held in cages that resemble dog kennels, often times in their underwear for 12 hours or more. The scene goes in direct contrast with what the United States of America supposedly stands for; although Native Americas would beg to differ that America is a just nation founded on principles of so-called democracy and human rights. The pipeline is a direct extension of the legacy of colonization and genocide that their people have endured for hundreds of years.

As the election distracted most of the public, politicians turned a blind eye to Standing Rock as it would disrupt the Democratic energy platform for the next 40 years… Most of Hillary Clinton’s top campaign contributors were financing the pipeline and Donald Trump had personally invested millions. Standing Rock chairman David Archambault II testified in front of the UN to ask for help pleading that water is a human right. As the fight against the DAPL began to pick up steam, the powers that be could no longer turn a blind eye to the human rights abuse and disregard for the law. Much spin has attempted to quell the support of the movement, but… it kept growing. An influx of media and celebrities brought even more attention to the camp. Actress Shailene Woodley, Amy Goodman, and even Presidential candidate Jill Stein were charged/arrested during front line actions. Water protectors like Red Fawn were illegally detained and held without bail. They have endured all of this to protect life’s most basic need…water.

On December 4, 2016, The Army Corps of Engineers gave the water protectors of Standing Rock a major victory when they refused to grant permits for DAPL to drill under the Missouri River. This decision shows that the power of the people cannot be ignored. Although significant, the victory is only temporary as the pipeline company is appealing the decision in federal court. Thousands of Water Protectors have remained diligent through blizzards and sub zero temperatures and remain to this day.

…the fight continues. Please stand with Standing Rock and support the indigenous led resistance against not just the DAPL, but all the other pipeline black snake construction projects around the country that threaten our water….

1-21-17 ~ Ricardo Jasper… Hi my name is Ricardo Jasper I’m a native American from the Diné nation aka Navajo Nation, im Originally from Tuba City Arizona, I’m a bitter water clan and Manygoat clan..

The reason why I’m here is because I wanted to share what I have experience in standing rock and to bring awareness to the movement, it all started with the Colorado River being contaminated when the mining company, Gold King Mine, in Silverton Colorado a team of workers with environmental protection agency accidentally released 3million gallons of toxic waste into the river, which the Animus River in Colorado had turned orange as a toxic spill continued to flow downstream and through other states, this is when I realized what was going on with fracking, and how all these oil companies were digging into our mother earth to look for oil. That’s when i started looking into more about fracking, then I heard about Standing Rock battling with oil corporations and the State of North Dakota, these companies have come so close together that the people are at a moment where they don’t feel like their voices are being heard, and so the last thing that was left for us is to assemble, is to gather together and to protest or protect, and I had the urge to go out there and help my relatives protect the water , our future generation, our kids future.

When I drove up to the camp site (Oceti Sakowin Camp) it was breathtaking my heart started to cry, the feeling was unbearably beautiful, you could feel the positive energy, you could feel the spirit around you and the love and peacefulness, the people were so kind and generous, very helpful, everybody loved each other, everybody helped each other, and if you needed help they would have volunteers there waiting to help you right away, you would wish the whole world would be like Oceti Sakowin Camp, I stayed there for like 2½ months I helped with the construction part of the camp we built Tarpees. The reason why we called them Tarpees was because they look like Tepees but they were made out of tarp, the other buildings were teepees, yurts, and hogan’s.

We started to winterize the camp and I helped out with the actions too. Actions were being on the front lines of stopping the construction of the pipeline, people sacrifice their lives, tying themselves to the equipment’s and peacefully praying for the company to stop from hurting our mother earth, to stopped them from desecrating our ancestral burial grounds, I was always at the front lines getting shot with rubber bullets being pepper sprayed for no reason, all we did was pray and try to talk to the officers and pray with them some of them would stand there and cry some were in shocked at what their fellow comrades were doing to the people, some of them would stare at you and smile then point the gun at you some would have a blast shooting people and laugh about Tear gassing us, shoot percussion grenades at the people, spraying us with cold water with water cannons in 15 degree weather, and it would go on for hours, everybody there was dedicated to protect the water, to protect what’s right for all of us, it wasn’t just an Indigenous thing it was about everybody. I told people “if I bleed red and you bleed red it’s your problem too” “It’s not about being a hero, we have no egos, and it wasn’t about being important, it was about being part of the team we stand in solidarity with standing rock we wanted to tell people that we should realize that if they should being upset about ISIS destroying those artifacts in Syria Iraq they should be twice as upset as they are desecrating them graves, destroying those ancient sites, if they’re going to be angry at the injustice around the other world then they need to start talking about the injustice here in America as well, there still Colonization going on and you can see it in the ground that she is bleeding right now, and when you look up around the other world, you see there is a river in Russia that is now red blood red because of the dirty chemicals from a metal plant that’s there now and we gonna have the same thing here, this is the company that’s done this before and this isn’t anything that we can get rid of, and you know I remind people that we can’t eat green paper, we can’t drink that Gucci purse sweetheart All we have is this water, all we have is this Land, and we have to protect it, we belong to the earth, the earth doesn’t belong to us, we just protect her, she doesn’t ask for money, all she asks is to take care of her as she will take care of us.

My experience in Standing Rock is something that I will never forget, it was beautiful it was emotional but we all stood together, we all looked after each other, some of us may have PTSD but we are all here for each other, now I have all these beautiful, beautiful people, my new extended family from all over the world, different nations, different tribes, different nationalities, if we keep standing together fight for what’s right for our people for our mother earth, for our future generations, we can the change the world.. We are the people we don’t need one person to run our country, we have the power to be ONE LIFE, ONE LOVE, ONE NATION.. AHÒ I could talk for hours and hours about Standing Rock… I will never forget it !!

1-21-17 ~ Johnny Dangers… Pro DAPL North Dakota Republican Congressman Cramer said earlier today Trump will rescind the EIS and approve Missouri River crossing possibly as soon as Monday. We will soon see how #Trump actually acts on the pipeline and if he respects the process.
Share! #NoDAPL #WaterisLife #J20

“By next week the EIS will be rescinded,” Cramer told me referring to the lengthy environmental study President Obama initiated in his final days in office. The Congressman said the Trump administration has the authority to rescind it because, in legal filings responding to the pipeline company’s request that the study be enjoined, the Obama administration itself argued that this was the case.

Cramer also said a decision granting permission for the pipeline to cross the Lake Oahe reservoir is imminent. “The easement will be issued maybe as early as Monday,” he said.

1-21-17 ~ ‎Jim Petoskey‎… Do not sit around waiting for the next great leader to come along. That’s how we got into this mess to begin with. Sitting around waiting for the next, Kennedy, the next Crazy Horse, the next Sitting Bull, the next Pontiac or Tecumseh. Martin Luther King or Ghandi . When they do come, they kill them off. Instead of giving a damn about the khardashians, the Super Bowls, worry about how to respect all life and what that really means. Become a participant in life. Give a sincere damn about our neighbors, the sick, the aged, the future of generations to come. We sat back and watched others do what everyone should be doing. We let people exploit the resources, pollute the land water and food and wonder why we are sick. We all have a brain, use it, but make sure your heart is connected. Nurture your spirits, not man made religions. DO NOT be afraid to be curious, question things, That’s exactly what they want. They have successfully dumbed down education and in turn dumbed down us. Now do yourself and the world a favor THINK. Even question what I just told you.

1-21-17 ~ Elizabeth Hoover… Was sitting on the plane editing photos that I took at Standing Rock over the past several days, and noticed the ladies next to me peering at my screen. They asked if I was a war photographer- where were these photos taken? Right here in the US of A, ladies. Yes those are unarmed civilians those National Guard and police officers are shooting at. Indian reservations have again become military training grounds

1-20-17 ~ Jon Ziegler… Here’s an update from the journalist who almost got his pink blown off a couple nights ago… Jon. Please send prayers for his healing. .

“Surgery went well. Took longer than expected as part of the bone was smashed “like a chicken bone hit with a hammer”-DR

Your well wishes and support will get me through this and out on the front lines asap. It has been my honor and a privilege to stream the truth for you these last 5 years. From Chicago to Ferguson; Baltimore to Oakland; NY and elsewhere, I have never stopped learning and being inspired by all the passionate ppl I have come to know, some of whom I now consider family. And that goes for many of you online as well!

I will be in a hotel resting and elevating my hand (picture make more sense now? ) for the next few days.

1-20-17 ~ Lee Sprague… This is the Larceny and Theft report I filed. I’m alleging the Sheriff Department stole and destroyed four of my canoes, paddles, rescue first aid kits, Also stolen, part of my canoe trailer.
Report Filed

Not accurate is officer 4973’s written comment that I confessed to bringing goods to to Turtle Hill.
“We carry warm clothes and blankets, gloves, mittens in water proof bags. We carry watersheds to the prayer lines. We carry people hurt by the Morton County Sheriff, Because they don’t respond to water protectors in harm’s way. Harm visited on the Water Protectors by the Morton County Sheriff Department.“

The REAL ‘Lone Ranger’ Was An African American Lawman Who Lived With Native American Indians
The real “Lone Ranger,” it turns out, was an African American man named Bass Reeves (July 1838 – 12 January 1910), who the legend was based upon. Perhaps not surprisingly, many aspects of his life were written out of the story, including his ethnicity. The basics remained the same: a lawman hunting bad guys, accompanied by a Native American, riding on a white horse, and with a silver trademark. Continue Reading http://tinyurl.com/kr6zycg

1-19-17 ~ Jim Graywolf Petruzzi‎… Take care Friends in the light—Finger Pointers, Name Callers and Dissent Sowers are everywhere

I have tried to not comment on negativity, dissension causers, finger pointers and attackers – but a lot of people in this group and others keep asking me about these things. And want to know why it seems to be increasing. They ask why groups are questioning groups… and why some are attacking posters and video people… and on it goes.

I see people attacking others in the camps, on the virtual support and education pages, on personal pages and elsewhere. Questioning motives and trustworthiness. Questioning money use and intentions. Asking why they are not white or red or yellow or black. Speaking total lies. Working with all their might to create dissent so it will destroy everyone’s work from within. I have seen people I know to be working with all they can for clean water being attacked and villefied. And when I have come to their defense, watched myself attacked. And others. Several we watch in the group attack a list of water protectors each day. Sadly, some believe too many lies.

I see more attacks as we create the Water is Life Movement because that scares the hell out of the business people and politicians. Each day on our Standing Rock Protectors group we add hundreds of people – and about 25% are phony accounts when we check.

If we let these trolls and company plants divide us we will collapse into chaos. Or even those people still stuck in thinking one group or protest or people can lead this entire peaceful revolution.

Question what you see and hear. And when you think you know the truth – question further. Continue to come together as one. In the way of the prophecy of the four colors uniting.

Together we will win this war. The worse enemy now is ourselves if we allow the dessention sowers to divide and conquer. None of us are perfect, but we are all standing for Standing Rock, clean water and other camps everywhere. Focus there and let the hate mongers flow over us like a wind.

Thanks for hearing me.
~ Jim Graywolf Petruzzi

1-19-19 ~ Cody Two Bears… Hau’ Mitakiyapi (All My Relatives) I am Cody Two Bears (Mah’to Nun’pa) Councilman of the Cannon Ball Community (Eyapaha) for the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. I am Yanktonai (From the Cut Head Band) My Ancestors come from the east side of the Missouri River and lived there for 125 years before 1862 when the Minnesota Uprising and White Stone Hill Massacre moved us to the west side of the Missouri River. I speak to you today with a strong heart. I wanna share some concerns with you that we has a tribe and has a community do not agree with the current situation going on at the Backwater Bridge north of Cannon Ball. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and elders have consistently asked people not to confront DAPL and law enforcement since after the Decision was made on December 4, 2016 and to stay away from the Bridge. We all know the Bridge was tested and it needed minor repairs to open it back up. But with what’s been happening the past three nights have hurt those chances of it being open again. Our Membership need that bridge open for emergency and daily commutes. We have elderly and people with a lot of health issues, dialysis, diabetics, heart problems. We have community members that have business that are being affected. Not only that but we know drugs and alcohol use has been in these camps recently. We the Tribe and its membership know this fight isn’t over. But the more unnecessary actions that take place north of Cannon Ball hurts our chances with winning this fight in court and at the government level moving forward. I feel we are in a great position now that Native Nations will have a big Voice Moving forward. We owe a great thanks to everyone that has came and support us with this fight. But we feel now the peace and prayerful actions are not happening anymore. I see violence happening from our side the people that came here to help us. We the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe and our Membership don’t support these actions it’s only hurting our chances moving forward. Once again We ask people to stand down. If we truly believe in prayer and trust in it we will win. Let our prayers do all our actions. Let’s not stoop to there level cause once we do we are no better than them!! They want us to start to be violent so The Tribe it’s membership and this whole movement will lose everything we have gained. Please be respectful and honor the wishes of the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe it’s elderly and it’s membership.. Thanks to you all once again. Hau Mitakuye Oyasin..

1-19-17 ~ Tomas Karmelo Amaya… “Women are traditionally associated with water and men with fire, but this moment made me think of the culmination of the two forces. As the shadows cast across the sides of the teepee, a home that represents the womb from which we are reborn daily, I also thought of a blazing ember. Fire cannot burn without oxygen and water contains oxygen just like our women hold the answers to our deepest tribulations. They are our ultimate medicine, our healers, our guardians of the future.”

The night before Morton County law enforcement attacked water protectors, Jade and I drove around camp looking for Faith Spotted Eagle so that we could interview her for @indigenousrising. Once we arrived to her location, I was not allowed to enter the teepee because a women’s meeting was in session. As I walked away I noticed the silhouettes of my aunties and sisters projected on the structure.

Women are traditionally associated with water and men with fire, but this moment made me think of the culmination of the two forces. As the shadows cast across the sides of the teepee, a home that represents the womb from which we are reborn daily, I also thought of a blazing ember. Fire cannot burn without oxygen and water contains oxygen just like our women hold the answers to our deepest tribulations. They are our ultimate medicine, our healers, our guardians of the future.

I left shortly after taking this photo and I would not see Jade until several hours later. Although she did not get to interview Faith, she came back more powerful than ever.

Photo and Story by Tomas Karmelo Amaya

1-19-17 ~ Nataanii Means… “Today I board a plane to Utah still tasting the tear gas and mace pellets, still hearing the rounds of rubber bullets and bean bags being fired off like popcorn. Last night a group of young men put a tipi up on the road on our side of the bridge. Signifying our continued fight for treaty rights. The police then crossed the bridge and tore down our sacred home and took the poles.

Last night when I arrived it was hectic; you know there will be people that are agitators that do jeopardize a lot with how they act on frontlines like this. We de-escalated them, and you also have to understand young men who have been taking this abuse for months, who have been made to feel lower than low by the police that support corporate entities like DAPL. I’m not making excuses for them, but there are ways to talk with them. After all the commotion we remained prayerful, we sang our sacred songs, we prayed for Leonard Peltier who was denied clemency, we prayed for our treaty rights, we continued to try and clean the bridge as best we could. Again I want to stress that I know our fight is not with the police, that it is in the courts, but we have to let the world know the violence is still happening, that the lights are still up, in no way have we negotiated a situation that benefits us, we’ve been weak. As long as we keep these police out, we exhaust them and their resources, if they want to continue to make the conscious choice to protect a pipeline, then we will make them stand in the cold with us. Continuing to live on treaty land with lights in our faces, heavy police forces, and a drill sitting there is a slap in the face.

The police reacted in violence last night. They reacted to prayer in violence. Like always. We have NO WEAPONS, we know what THEY are capable of so we protect ourselves with shields, we are not looking to fight, but we will protect ourselves as we try our best to protect the water and make these statements. DO NOT look at us any other way than what we are, that is young people caring for our children’s future. Support us and remember we are people of strength, stop showing our weakness by questioning everything someone does.

If only the old leaders were alive to remind us who and where we come from. But we are the next, the young generation. And we are here standing with NO FEAR. I watched Russell Means stand with no fear, and we are trying our damn best to do what we can. My dad was shot on Standing Rock by BIA police after Wounded Knee. I also know he would be ashamed and sad of what is happening here, how OUR OWN PEOPLE ARE TREATING OUR OWN FOR ONLY WANTING TO BE FREE!

Somebody said last night “If we cross the barricade they’ll stop the EIS” well first we DID NOT want to cross it, second, why do we have to act from a position of fear. That is a direct threat on our own treaty land. That is a scare tactic, I just want to know where is our strength, I haven’t seen it since my father passed. The olders here act and say everything from fear, I understand that, but I’m not used to that.

So here we are. Young people remaining in prayer and unarmed strength. I love you all.

Again, I am no one. Here, I am just ikce wicasa, I’m only a common man that wants clean water for the future. I am not a leader, nor do I want to be, just updating the social atmosphere with my thoughts. A’ho…”

1-19-17 ~ International Leonard Peltier Defense Committee… I woke up this morning excited, happy, hopeful and imaginging the upcoming weekend. I was going to pick Uncle Leonard up from prison and drive him up north. I was going to stop at his daughter Marquetta’s in Kansas, his sister Betty Ann’s in Fargo, ND, and his grandchildren Cyrus and Alex in Grand Forks and lastly his hometown in Turtle Mountain.

The family has been commuicating constantly in these last hours, so excited about our future plans and finally having the eldest man in the family home.

We have had thousands of people from all over the world praying for his freedom, which could only be given by Obama. We all believed and had so much faith in our President. We believed he truly cared for Leonard.

I had just finished visiting with a friend with so much joy that Uncle Leonard would be free and home by this weekend. Not even fifteen minutes later, i was given the heart wrenching news he was denied clemency. Basically a death sentence. I am asking all of you to let Obama hear our OUTCRY over and disappointment with his decision today.

Call, email, tweet. Use Facebook, Instagram, Snapchat, and your powerful prayers… whatever is your means of communication… to let him know we are not happy. The people are not happy. His family is not happy. You can change your mind, Obama. You have the power.

I beg and plead. Hear our outcry!
On behalf of Leonards family
Kari Ann Boushee
Co-Director of the ILPDC

1-19-17~ Mitra Singh‎… I found this tent buried in snow, Rosebud camp at Standing Rock, in the excavation I found an item I would consider of great value and notebook paper with handwriting that says owner arrived on Aug 10 and was arrested on Aug 11. If you can name the valuable item I can hold it if you are returning. I am camped next to your old spot

1-19-17 ~ Margo Talk… Something is going wrong. There are instigators and outsiders provoking violence, laughing, swearing and yelling death threats at authorities tonight. Myron asks our research help to check whether DAPL is trying to distract all from something else. Are they taking action to illegally pump oil thru the gas pipeline already there? I cannot tell my friends from my enemies in this. So this will be my last post. Prayers for all involved. Please follow Myron Dewey/Digital Smoke Signals for the truth. Link to his livestream here:https://m.facebook.com/story.php…

1-1-19 ~ ‘Stormfronts’ of North Dakota’s Streets… White supremacists not finished with the Peace Garden State, form hit list of small towns. Since the town of Leith’s victory against white supremacists, eleven towns across North Dakota made their hit list. The towns range from populations of 16 to nearly 7,000. Listed by names, pictures, and real estate advertisements by Pioneer Little Europe North Dakota, a white supremacist operation welcoming Nazis, the Creativity Movement, Ku Klux Klan, militants, white nationalists, and racialists, the North Dakota towns are the group’s next targets to become Aryan enclaves. Continue Reading http://tinyurl.com/hope3x4

1-19-17 ~ This was posted 45 mins ago by someone who is at Standing Rock currently. “All call. DAPL has turned off all its lights overlooking oceti sakawin Rose bud and Sacred stone. They have NEVER turned off the lights an only Jonny Danger live feed showed for a minute to see absolute dark….. Something is happening. Even if not something is and calls need to be made. Post numbers in comments if you have them. Help standing rock before this company and government allow the unthinkable. Hasn’t this gone on long enough. Haven’t enough been injured and mistreated for simply wanting to live. Do something”

1-19-17 ~ I can Confirm all DAPL lights across the river are off. We don’t know why and this has never happened before. #NoDAPL
Fog is also extremely thick right now.

1-18-17 ~ JOURNALIST TARGETED BY MORTON COUNTY SHERIFFS AND THUGS… Morton County law enforcement and thugs target journalist on the front lines at Standing Rock last night.
Last night Jon Ziegler was targeted as a journalist. “Law enforcement” called out his name and then law enforcement specifically shot at the hand he was holding his camera live streaming. His pinky is completely broken, and his leg is injured as well, he is getting medical care at the moment.
This is what Morton County calls using none lethal weapons on water protectors, when will we put a stop to this?

1-18-17 ~ Mike Fasig’… In listening to several Live Feeds, while the Protectors stood and prayed and drummed the Police went and stole and tore down prayer Tipi they had stationed and flags. Obvious instigating anger.

1-18-17 ~ Jason George… Hello loved ones.Hope that you and all are well and warm. There was violence here last night. I am well and still stand strong, but there were shots fired gas deployed and protesters arrested. Please pray for us all that we might be gifted the ability to show our lost brothers and sisters the good red road without further bloodshed. That we might help give them the courage to pull down that barricade and join us in this beauty and warmth that our mother has lovingly set before us. I send love from all of us here in standing rock to all of you wherever you may be. J.(High hat)

1-18-17 ~ Lee Sprague… I’m here at the Attorney General’s Office at the North Dakota State Capital to file a complaint for the theft and destruction of our canoes, rescue equipment, my cell phone, my paddles, my canoe trailer lids to trailer storage boxes were also stolen.
The Attorney Generals Office said to me, Morton County has to take my formal complaint. The Attorney General has no jurisdiction over the Morton County Sheriff’s Department.

Hmmm, the old run around by the government trick. Like I’m the first Indian to figure that out

1-17-17 ~ “My struggle is what made me who I am…. I want my children to be proud of their culture, and mostly, their dad.” Watch and listen to what Kansas has to say about being a strong Native American man. #NativeHope #SeasonOfHope

1-17-17 ~ Colter Hoyt… It’s happening NOW at Standing Rock! All day tear gas, rubber bullets to the face, multiple shots. March and prayer attempted to reach the DAPL drill sight.
The Backwater bridge is active THIS second!
Pray for the brave unarmed Water Protectors!!
Mni Wiconi!

1-17-17 ~ Linda Black Elk… “This is not rumor: one of our water protectors was hit by a cop on a snowmobile…hard. Medics couldn’t reach her. Police called an ambulance and it appears that she has been transported off site. PLEASE, PLEASE pray for this young woman. Call the State of North Dakota Department of Heath and Morton County law enforcement demanding that she receive immediate care! #NoDAPL”

1-17-17 ~ Chase IronEyes… “Strength to the brothers and sisters on the bridge right now getting maced, shot & arrested. That bridge blockade is an economic sanction to punish Standing Rock for standing up, punitive measures to force Native people back into 2nd class citizenhood, to turn tribal & state public opinion against the water protectors & its working. This is why we are kept poor, in tutelage. They can manipulate by withholding rations. The chains are there if you look. This is about more than a pipeline. This is about an inevitable and natural liberation from the state of oppression being perpetrated on not only Native Nations but all human beings.”

Calling my beloved adoptive caravan of veterans. Calling all veterans. Calling all protectors able to withstand subzero elements. Your strength is needed. Your presence is needed. My heart pulls me to return immediately, but camp is requesting I stay in DC to bring information to the public.

Billy Taylor, your skill set as front-line peacekeeper and the skill sets of our DNC teammates would be of great help in Standing Rock now if you are able and up for it.

1-17-17 ~ Myron Dewey… Updates About Standing Rock With #NoDAPL Warriors Digital Smoke Signals (1/17/2017) The Movement North Dakota Bill Would Protect Drivers Who ‘Accidentally’ Hit And Kill Protesters A bill that state GOP Rep. Keith Kempenich introduced would exempt drivers from liability if they *accidentally hit* a pedestrian, including but not limited to off-roading snowmobiles.

1-17-17 ~ Jon Ziegler… Anti-drone missile system confirmed on top of a hill guarding the DAPL drill pad. Many water protectors made it further around the bend to the east closer to the drill site and were met with police and reports of mace used. We climbed up the hill on the west side right up next to the launcher.

1-17-17 ~ Anoli Wood‎ … So last night I am cooking dinner and suddenly got a coughing fit. It just kept getting worse the longer I cooked. Sat down to eat but couldn’t catch my breath so I put my plate to the side until I could breathe. Came upstairs to try and relax. I log on Facebook to see live feed that the water Protectors being attacked with tear gas and shot in the backs with rubber bullets. My coughing fit was just like being hit with the tear gas. I couldn’t take a breath and my eyes were tearing up. All this is happening to me at the same time they were being attacked. I think it was a sign. Such is life as an empath… across the ocean in England I felt their distress. When I woke up this morning I have a bad painful back right below my left shoulder blade. I had hubby look at it and it’s bruised. Someone there was channeling me. #lookingforanswers.

1-17-17 ~ Dallas Goldtooth… Take a good look at this. This an AN/TWQ-1 Avenger vehicle. It shoots missiles and is used for surface-to-air defense scenarios.

It is now deployed to overlook the #NoDAPL camps. That’s right. North Dakota has deployed more military vehicles to the Cannonball river area. This is intimidation tactics 101. Demonstrate the extent of your power in hopes to deter action.

To be clear, there is no indication that this vehicle is armed. Numerous veteran allies have stated that this vehicle is mostly likely being used for its FLIR system (Thermal, Night, and Infrared Vision). This will allow the police to track movement at night or in snowy conditions.

However, it DOES NOT BELONG in the area of what remains an overall peaceful demonstration. How can the state hope to further the message of peaceful resolution when they continue to escalate the situation?

1-16-17 ~ SHOTS FIRED! #NODAPL BACKWATER BRIDGE STANDING ROCK- xBLACKxOPSxSECRETSx
Militarized Police standing on ancestral graves, running over people with snowmobiles and shooting them in the back with rubber bullets as they’re walking off the bridge, many being maced with pepper spray. The water tanker was filling water cannons.

1-16-17 ~ CRAZY! ANTI-DRONE MISSILES AT #NoDAPL SITE, LAW TO RUN OVER ACTIVISTS – DAHBOO77
These shocking images were caught by Rebelutionary Z on twitter. As you can see, there is a surface to air anti-drone system now setting on the top of the ridge.

1-16-17 ~ Simon R Jones … Camp was pretty intense this evening, so much going on and being said…
100 people made it to the Drill pad, they were target w rubber bullets,
Turtle island action (1 arrest)
DAPL & military are mobilizing,
Planes flying over camp all day,
Helicopters flying lower each day, circling camp
We remain in Prayer Strong

1-16-17 ~ Johnny Dangers… Police mobilizing for Large Peaceful Prayer Walk on Day of Action! We are now near the Cannonball River near the Drillpad! Water Protectors went on another Prayer Walk to the Cannonball River and placed 2 Prayer flags for the one the police stole!
Earlier today police stole the Water Protector’s Prayer Flag on Standing Rock Sioux Reservation land since yesterday’s Prayer Walk!!!
Do they not care about freedom of religion?

1-16-17 ~ Wicapi Otto‎… We need people on the phone and sending letters questioning the DAPL contents.
Why did DAPL take 146 million gallons of water from the Missouri River. That amount is extremely excessive for water sampling. That is NOT a sampling amount, that is just shy of the amount Nestle’ just purchased from Michigan for bottling. The man who believes that water is not a human right. Current Wall Street Trends are showing that water is a commodity that is turning to Gold in the market.

We need to question the motives of DAPL on whether this is about the oil or the oil AND the water. Demand an investigation to what happened to 146 million gallons of water taken by DAPL today. Contact your state representative, contact the White House, contact Army Corp of Engineers and demand to know what happened to all that water TODAY.

1-16-17 ~ Water Protectors went on another Prayer Walk to the Cannonball River and placed 2 Prayer flags for the one the police stole! Share!
Earlier today police stole the Water Protector’s Prayer Flag on Standing Rock Sioux Reservation land since yesterday’s Prayer Walk!!!
Do they not care about freedom of religion?

1-16-17 ~ Beatrice Long Visitor Holy Dance… “We have to keep repeating the prayers over and over again. When I reflect on my life of 79 years, I see a flat road of destruction. Youths are dying of drugs and ozone layer is depleting. The most powerful tool with us is to pray and pray with other communities for world peace.” – Beatrice Long Visitor Holy Dance

Vanessa aka Sioux Z, Navajo Nation … “Last week, a week and a half ago, when everybody was moving the trucks off the bridge I was given a head shot by Morton County’s Sheriff Department. Six, five, six? I’m not sure how many. There were quite a few of them tear gas canisters launched, aimed at my head. Also after I was hit in the eye with one of the tear gas canisters as I left to run; I was also shot with a rubber bullet in the back, my lower leg, my lower butt, my upper thigh area. Yeah, that’s what happened.

I am a dispatcher for Oceti Sakowin Akitchita. I’m a warrior. I’m a dispatcher of information. Right now, my role is kind of changing now that I can’t be…..I’m still here. I still answer dispatcher calls, but not being able to go to the front lines any more, which I’m still going to go. The Veterans are here, so I’m going to run with the Veterans over there, but my goal now is to really look at our health care system as being Native American, which is also in our treaties. You know, I didn’t get the care that I needed within 72 hours to save my eye because I had IHS from Navajo and Arizona Medicaid, and nobody would work with me, you know? I’ll never see again, and it’s just so sad that our system is broken in so many ways. And I just want the world to know that there’s a lot more things to our treaties other than land. Healthcare was included in these treaties, and our government needs to start honoring these treaties, so my role is changing a little bit.”

Please consider donating to Vanessa’s gofundme, so that she may get the medical care she needs. She also asks that you pray.

1-14-17 ~ Indigenous leader and celebrated author Arthur Manuel has passed away suddenly at the age of 66 years old.

His lifetime of fighting for Indigenous rights began when he first became president of the Native Youth Association in the 1970’s.

He then became chief of the Neskonlith Indian Band, chair of the Shuswap Nation Tribal Council and leader and Spokesperson for the Interior Alliance.

He often travelled, meeting Indigenous peoples from all over the world and spoke at numerous rallies and events. He strongly believed in the Declaration of the Rights of Indigenous People and supported numerous environmental causes.

Funeral arrangements are currently underway and will take place in Adams Lake, BC.

1-14-17 ~ ‎Brandon Phinazee‎… Any pilots in the air that need a friendly place to land and rest for today’s peaceful protest are more than welcome to land, at your own risk, on our grass runway at Kitty Hawk Estates Airpark. If you need to rest or drive to the site, we have a safe field that you can taxi your plane to. There is a lot of State Trooper activity around the area, everyone please be safe and contact me if needed. This is owner’s permission. Good luck out there today, fighting the good fight!

1-13-17 ~ Johnny Dangers… Police mobilizing the Water Cannon, Humvees, Snowmobiles, Side by Sides and multiple vehicles for a peaceful Prayer Walk towards the Drillpad and Cannonball River! Share!!! We are Peaceful! We Stand for the Earth, Water and Children!

1-13-17 ~ These are powerful words from Chase IronEyes today.

He points out that the incoming administration has indicated it will pursue a policy that accelerates extraction, big financial interests, and the rights of the corporatocracy. It will advance the longstanding program to absorb and eradicate native peoples, their lands and their cultures. IronEyes advocates continuing the unarmed opposition to these forces at Standing Rock. “We are the ghost dancers of our time. Only this time we have a world of allies.”

Chase IronEyes: “This may be the only opportunity that we have while the world is not only watching us–but the world is waiting on us. The world needs us to lead. We may be the only people–the only natural human beings–who still maintain that spiritual connection to the Universe, to the sacred sites, to water, to all the elements of Creation from which we derive our identity and our civilization.Those are our gifts. We may be the last real ones–the people who could provide that moral and spiritual authority to liberate from those forces which seek to oppress that in us, which have been at work in a very effective manner for a thousand years…. What we are saying is we are committed to this stand.”

“There was a concerted effort to turn us into a nation of beggars, to dehumanize us, to make us hate ourselves, to steal our dignity. But fortunately, our people are strong, our people are survivors, and we are here standing.”

1-13-17 ~ Strawbale School at Standing Rock – Miguel Cobalot

1-12-17 ~ Chief Dan George (July 24, 1899–September 23, 1981) was a chief of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation, a Coast Salish band located on Burrard Inlet in North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He was also an author, poet, and an Academy Award-nominated actor.

Chief of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation, a Coast Salish band whose Indian reserve is located on Burrard Inlet in the southeast area of the District of North Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. He was also an actor, poet and author; his best-known written work was “My Heart Soars”.As an actor, he is best remembered for portraying Old Lodge Skins opposite Dustin Hoffman in Little Big Man (1970), for which he was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor.

Born as Geswanouth Slahoot in North Vancouver, his English name was originally Dan Slaholt. The surname was changed to George when he entered a residential school at age 5. He worked at a number of different jobs, including as a longshoreman, construction worker, and school bus driver, and was band chief of the Tsleil-Waututh Nation from 1951 to 1963 (then called the Burrard Indian Band).

In 1960, when he was already 60 years old, he landed his first acting job in a CBC Television series, Cariboo Country, as the character Ol’ Antoine (pron. “Antwine”). He performed the same role in a Walt Disney Studios movie Smith! (1969), adapted from an episode in this series (based on Breaking Smith’s Quarter Horse, a novella by Paul St. Pierre). At age 71, he received several honors for his role in the film Little Big Man (1970), including a nomination for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actor. He continued to act in other films, such as Cancel My Reservation (1972), Alien Thunder (1974), The Bears and I (1974), Harry and Tonto (1974), The Outlaw Josey Wales (1976), Shadow of the Hawk (1976), Americathon (1979), Spirit of the Wind (1979) and Nothing Personal (1980), and on television, including a role in the 1978 miniseries Centennial, based on the book by James A. Michener, as well as appearing in a 1973 episode of the original Kung Fu series and in several episodes of The Beachcombers.

He played the role of Rita Joe’s father in George Ryga’s stage play, The Ecstasy of Rita Joe, in performances at Vancouver, the National Arts Centre in Ottawa, and Washington, D.C..

During his acting career, he worked to promote better understanding by non-aboriginals of the First Nations people. His soliloquy, Lament for Confederation, an indictment of the appropriation of native territory by white colonialism, was performed at the City of Vancouver’s celebration of the Canadian centennial in 1967.This speech is credited with escalating native political activism in Canada and touching off widespread pro-native sentiment among non-natives.

In 1971, George was made an Officer of the Order of Canada. In 2008 Canada Post issued a postage stamp in its “Canadians in Hollywood” series featuring Chief Dan George.
He died in Vancouver in 1981 at the age of 82. He was interred at Burrard Cemetery.

1-12-17 ~ THE GATHERING by Chief Sitting Bull
The Turning of The Tide

It is very important that as many people as possible, in different places, should take part in the Gathering. Decide where and when and how to gather, your participation is needed. This is the beginning of the break we are all waiting for. This is the beginning of the turnaround. We have waited so long for the change. It is time. This is the beginning of the end of the old ways, the turning of the tide. State what you believe is true. Exchange the information and hopes you have. Always in the world, a change starts with a few people. These few speak the feelings and thoughts of a multitude. They speak the heart of humanity’s soul. The people who are coming together will ring in a return, a turnaround. There will come a flow on Earth which will burst the dark energies surrounding you and your planet. Let your self-belief be your guide, and follow your heart. Realise the greatness you have within yourself, and go ahead. This is the time so many have waited so long for. That which you believe is true must be stated.

Spirit message from Chief Sitting Bull

1-13-17 ~ Heart of Standing Rock… Photo by Emma Hall
A strong woman
is one who feels deeply
and loves fiercely.
Her tears flow
just as abundantly
as her laughter.

A strong woman
is both soft and powerful.
She is both
practical and spiritual.

A strong woman
in her essence
is a gift to all the world.

1-12-17 ~ Jim Graywolf Petruzzi‎… Someone posted this today as I was beginning to write about attacks and slander and divisive actions being taken. I will post what I am writing later – but think about this. It is easy to stay seated and takes courage to stand and be a target. Remember our children’s children are watching.

1-12-17 ~ Wicapi Otto‎ … Army Corp of Engineers needs to understand just how many people are affected by not only this pipeline, but many pipelines across the world. This is for everyone, there is absolutely no exclusion of nation, country, background…etc.

This is going to be given to the tribe and Army Corp of Engineers. I have never understood how things go viral, but I guess for a first time attempt, let’s see how this goes, because I need viral on this. A petition is one thing, it makes a statement, and this is to reflect the effect on human activity. Our connectivity as a human race is a human activity and a simple one to show them how many people object to not only DAPL, but as our voice to oppose all. Trolls are welcome as well, your number will be added to the count of people that matter and are affected to human activity as well. I only ask those in support not to respond to them and waste precious time and energy with negativity. This is very important.

I only need you to state “I am affected” and your location. It does not need to be specific, just please keep it simple as I have to convert this to a document after and wasted data only wastes time.

Thank you everyone everywhere for helping with this. Pilamiya!

PS. If every now and then, someone can tag my name for check in, I have a couple of these going around of this exact same post and it will help me locate and check. Thank you!

1-12-17 ~ Daphne Singingtree… Camp Update. We need people on site more than ever. A recent meeting between the Standing Rock Tribal Council and Camp Leaders from Oceti Sakowin, Sacred Stone and Rosebud showed the need for increased communication. Sacred Stone is located on higher ground and is building a permanent, sustainable, culture camp. This is an extraordinary outcome from the protest that will serve provide a space for people in the area to come and learn skills from permaculture, to green energy & building, as well as be a base for the movement to protect the water and the Earth. The Oceti & Rosebud camps will need to move to higher ground. Land has been set aside by the Standing Rock Tribe for a camp that can house many people, plans include solar/wind power, yurt and tipi villages, greenhouses and gardens, and a long term sustainable community. It is unclear to me at this point how many folks will be moving to the new tribe site, or the higher ground on the current Oceti site (Facebook Hill), or some of the other protest camps such as Texas. Moving the tipis, yurts and other structures will be a lot of work, especially to accomplish before snow melt.

Everyone shares concerns about the amount of trash, abandoned tents, and other items that are located in the floodplain. Without timely removal, there is a risk of contaminating the very river we are protecting. No one expected thousands, at one point ten thousand people to show up at camp. Then the severe weather came, most people left, leaving behind a lot of stuff and not enough people to process the donations, and then clean up afterwards.

We need able bodied people who are able to work in the cold, please plan on coming to help, even for a week or two, anytime over the next month or two. The burden is falling on people who work incredibly hard, they are getting sick, burned out, and it is easy to get discouraged when faced with such a monumental task. We particularly need people with 4×4 trucks and trailers. Let’s not forget our Water Protectors and Water Warriors. Let’s not leave a giant mess on people who can ill afford to clean it up.

Some of the resources donated will be relocated to other camps. Other supplies need to be protected from the elements until spring or distributed in the local community. All of this takes work, and the medics are busy keeping people safe and healthy. We need help to recycle and remove trash, as well as helping move the yurts and tipis to the new site. So many people have left that there are sleeping spaces available, if you don’t have a contact with someone in camp and want to help Zaniyan at Rosebud, I can get you connected.

The fight is not over, the movement has just began, we have much hard labor ahead of us, and still need the help and support of all. #nodapl #waterislife

1-12-17 ~ Trystan Foundation… Our friend Bobbie invited us to her outdoor kitchen and taught us the proper way to make Diné fry bread. Cooking video will be posted in the future!⠀ ⠀ -Heather

1-11-17 ~ Canadian Native Youth Arrive at Standing Rock After Walking for Almost a Month – Buffalo greeted the youth as they arrived at the #NoDAPL camp site.

Three youth from the Woodland Cree First Nation in Saskatchewan, Canada, arrived to the Oceti Sakowin Camp at Standing Rock in North Dakota yesterday (January 10) after walking since November 26, 2016. This journey symbolized their solidarity with the #NoDAPL movement against the 1,172-mile long Dakota Access Pipeline set to cut through sacred territories of the Sioux people. Contine Reading http://tinyurl.com/gmvz45n

1-11-17 ~ Luta Wi Red Fawn… Hello all my friends, family and support. As you know I had a hearing yesterday and I was formally charged, and the charges carry sentences that add up to 25 years to life in federal prison.

I’ve been getting messages about a lot of you being concerned and worried. So I wanted to let you know that I stand strong, I stay in prayer, and I never falter from my beliefs as a protector of all things sacred.

I’m doing good, I’m clear headed, I appreciate my strong support system. I appreciate the 20+ letters and cards I get everyday. As they remind me to believe in all good things .

“When will they open their eyes and heart and listen to our cries and please and prayers to protect our dying Mother Earth. I believe this is the time when we as protectors of this land . We need to stand up, stand strong, and never give up. We are obligated to the protection of this earth, we have been taught this from child hood. Our ancestors made sure we would know our creation stories, our histories and our instructions to continue the care taking, the protection and the spiritual obligations to this land for our next seven generations and to our ancestors. My heart, my prayers and my strength are with you all.

Mitakuye Oyate”
If you want to talk or get ahold of me, inbox me your phone number . I love you all.
Lililililililililili

1-10-17 ~ Paul Schmidtlein… O ci yo, A Lesson from Standing Rock; Border towns are still oppressive. Not much has changed since the reservation system was set up. People from around the world saw images and video of what Natives have been going through for generations in towns next to reservations.

The gathering of Indigenous Nations in Standing Rock showed unity between each other because of a common shared belief, Water is Life. Another shared belief might bring them together again to organize Indigenous Nations Peace Keepers to act like a shield when indigenous peoples try to exercise their treaty rights and Constitutional rights.

1-10-17 ~ The youth have made it…they walked 1200 miles to get to Standing Rock from Saskatchewan, Canada…The buffalo came to welcome them, the horse nations came to guide them in…..History was made today!!!…..I am one proud Canadian in Alberta, Canada who is crying with joyful tears witnessings this event

1-10-17 ~ More than a pipeline – trailer
The official TRAILER of the documentary film MORE THAN A PIPELINE. A film about Standing Rock, about the effects of the destruction by large corporations and banks to our environment and our planet. About the people of the Great Sioux Nation and their helpers who are standing up to them in compassion and prayer. About the earth we leave for the next seven generations…

1-10-17 ~ Heart of Standing Rock… Dignity is a sculpture on a bluff overlooking the Missouri River near Chamberlain, South Dakota. The 50-foot high stainless steel statue, by South Dakota artist laureate Dale Lamphere, depicts an Indigenous woman in Plains-style dress receiving a star quilt. According to Lamphere, the sculpture honors the culture of the Lakota and Dakota peoples who are indigenous to South Dakota.

“My intent for this is to have the sculpture stand as an enduring symbol of our shared belief that we are in a sacred place and that we are all sacred,” Lamphere said. “I’m humbled and so grateful to have this chance to contribute to the future landscape of South Dakota and the Great Plains.”

“One’s dignity may be assaulted, vandalized and cruelly mocked, but cannot be taken away unless it is surrendered.” – Michael J. Fox

1-10-17~ The new head chef at Standing Rock! This sneaky husky managed to steal some meat while everyone was distracted by the snow storm.
-Heather

1-1-2017 ~ Waniya Locke, Standing Rock Sioux Tribe
“I came to help. I came home to help, because I want to protect the future. And part of protecting our future is learning our language. So Lakota language is the essence of who we are; it’s the spirit of who we are. You can strip a person of food and clothing, and even their spirituality and they’ll be okay. But once you strip a person of their language, they lose everything. They lose all their identity. They lose their connection to their land, to their ancestors, and to their own relatives. So Lakota Revitalization was a path that was found for me. It wasn’t something I went out seeking. I fell into language, and I ended up being really good at it, and all these doors unlocked for me to become a language teacher.

I teach 140 students a day. They come through my classroom forty minutes a day, every day, Monday through Friday. So I teach five classes a day, Monday through Friday to 140 students. And we revitalize the language. We actually speak in our language. But language is the foundation of everything. So that entails our stories, entails our history, that entails our spirituality, our songs and our dance. Lakota language is really vital to who we are. A lot of people don’t realize this; there’s four prongs that make the people sovereign. You have to have people. You have to have land base. You have to have culture. And you have to have a language. And that’s according to the United Nations, in order for people to be sovereign. If one of those prongs is missing, like language, then we can lose our sovereignty rights. And that’s really vital to who we are.”

Heart of Standing Rock… Patty Porter, Colville Confederate Tribes – Paddled 250 miles down the head waters of the Missouri river to the Oceti Sakowin Camp.

“We started our paddle from Bismarck, and we came down about 23 – 24 miles. Then the storm hit. We had a massive storm. It was a life altering storm. Some (fellow paddlers) were on the left side of the river that had to get out. Some were way behind that got left and jumped into a cabin. There were like 30 people out of the dug outs in one cabin, and my partner and I were stuck in the middle. And he goes, “Should we turn back?”, and I say, “No, we can’t turn back or we’ll die.”

I told him all we could do is go to the lights. They’re flashing the lights, and our brothers were on the shore flashing lights, and we’re just going. The hail just had to been massive big. We had lightning and thunder all the way around us just hitting. The water was so unbelievable. we couldn’t even see the end of our kayak. We had a massive white out, and I got hit in the eye with a hail and I could hardly see. And we tipped over a couple times, and I was told kayak can’t tip over. Well, we were real close a couple times.

I froze, and all I could hear was my dad, “Holler. Holler!” So I did. To me, it was close. It was real close, and I thought to myself when I froze, “Nobody’s going to come out and save you. You gotta dig, woman.” So I started digging and I could hear my dad, “Holler.” So I did, “Whooooooooo!” I hollered as loud as I could, and I don’t know how many times and we couldn’t even see the lights. That’s how my brothers on shore could know where we were.
The storm of my life.”
Interviewed by Toni Cervantes Photo by Autumn Fire

One does not sell the Earth the people walk upon Crazy Horse Poem by the – J Grady
This short digital film features a historic moment that happened on the front line against the Dakota access pipeline. On November 5th, 2016 representatives of the Seven Council fires of the Oceti Sakowin gathered to reignite the sacred fire of the resistance camp and establish the “horn” of the nation, a camp layout where 7 lodges are placed in a circle formation.

This moment was marked by the entrance of over 200 horseback Riders and the arrival of 50 runners who traveled over 1,200 miles to Standing Rock from Arizona.

The last time such an event occurred was in the late 1800s! That’s The Power of this movement. That’s The Power of our prayer.
“Crazy Horse” Poem by the legendary John Trudell

I had a good friend ask me last night why I use the word ‘war’ when I speak of the events going on around us and the actions we take as we seek a better, healthier place to live. This is someone I know and respect, so I reflected on the question. It is a good question – a valid one. ‘War’ can be a charged word – a word with negative connotations. We chatted a while over this question and then I went to smudge and send my prayers and wishes to Great Spirit.

This morning the question is still with me. I realized 2 days ago I wrote a poem – I Am A Warrior. I post it here since it relates to this discussion. No coincidences my friends. So, I am going to capture my views on this – at least those I currently see – and I invite yours.
I Am A Warrior

I stand up for what I see needs to be changed,
But I do not hate those who disagree.
I speak with conviction about the healing we need,
But I listen to others speak in contrary ways.

For years I have fought for peace and equality,
But I no longer throw rocks – I send prayers.
Those who disagree with me sometimes hate me,
I will not hate back.

Those wishing to silence me will do whatever they can to still my voice.
But I will not be silent – I will speak peacefully, without stop.
When those destroying our planet attack my friends.
I will stand beside them and will not move.

There is a war being waged now for our planet and our lives.
They fight with bullets and hoses and corrupt laws.
I fight with words and love and trust.
So that we will reach our true potential as humans.

They are haters.
I am a warrior.
A spiritual warrior. A peaceful warrior.
I fight in peace with those ready to stand with me.

We are warriors.
~ Jim Graywolf Petruzzi

Here is some of what I responded to the question:
It is a war – a peaceful revolution. But I don’t want people thinking we can just pray and all will be good. Creator wants to see actions, which he/she can then put energy towards. Likewise the ancestors – angels, prophets, whatever name – do nothing until we pray, act and ask for help and guidance.

I was taught this by many different cultures and have seen it hold true. War does not have to be negative nor have only negative connotations. This definition for example – “a struggle or competition between opposing forces or for a particular end”

What other word will stir people awake? The conflict within self of the light and dark wolf is also called the war of the self.

We have envisioned the world of good – the light wolf. Still we need to feed that wolf so the dark wolf, who has been dominant for so long, becomes the lesser part of us.

Thanks for bringing back these teachings to me and reminding me of those who shared them with me long ago.

When I do ceremonies, teachings, sound healing, spiritual work I exist in a place of light – all light. When I am in a spiritual activist role I am helping move us to the light. Part is by recognizing the dark and the struggle we now have.

Standing Rock is a great example. Many of the elders and leaders speak of this battle in a larger war. The war is Water is Life. Then they go on to speak as I am – this is a new war and we are peaceful warriors.

When I work with and speak to children my whole energy and word use shifts. Not younger or less mature – more light. They do not need to be awakened and motivated. They are.

Some images need to be before us so we can make the changes needed.
Here are two others that give me pause:
* Cutting the head off of the black snake
* Letting the Phoenix die so she can rise

Based on the wishes of the elders and leaders at Standing Rock and elsewhere for peaceful protests I think we should discuss the use of our words as well as our actions. If there is a better word to guide us – let’s find it.

Thanks for hearing me.
~ Jim Graywolf Petruzzi
Standing Rock Protestors support
Water is Life Movement

1-1-17 Chase IronEyes… Wounded knee Survivor Runners are set to arrive at Oceti Oyate, Oceti Sakowin, All Nations camp at 7pm central today! Come run with us

1-1-17~ Robert Ferguson... Paid Water Protectors. Did you know in almost every town there are people paid to protect your drinking water? They work at the places that draw water from either the ground or a surface source and then filter the water to make sure it is drinkable. Then there are a multitude of other government employees who work as environmentalists to ensure the surface and groundwaters do not become too polluted. In most cases these employees do a good job. Not so much in Flint or Corpus Christi. … Anyway, for most of the time these water protectors are left alone to do their jobs without much fanfare. But on occasion they find problems that lead back to some industry saving money by allowing pollution to enter the environment, and then their bosses can get real ugly. It pays to learn who in your area is a paid water protector and let them know you appreciate their efforts and are willing to Stand with them when they feel the need to expose pollution or even potential pollution. They will thank you and the water you save together might be your own.

1-8-17 ~ From Serra to Syrah: The Bloody Roots of California’s Vineyards
When Pope Francis made Father Junipero Serra a saint at the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Washington D.C. on September 23, 2015, it cast light on the brutal history and treatment of Native Americans during the Mission period. But Californians shouldn’t sit back smugly and think that violence against Indians was just a problem of the Franciscans. Serra, a citizen of Spain, may have started the trend of forcing Indians to work against their will, but the Mexicans and Americans who assumed control over California at different points in the 19th Century were worse in many ways.
Continue Reading http://tinyurl.com/j7wqn2q

1-8-17 ~ Wicapi Otto‎… So apparently, they surveyed a 400 ft wide segment but expanded their study area corridor (the normal 400 ft) a mile on either side of centerline.

What that means is that out one mile on each side of the middle of the pipeline they surveyed.

However they are within .55 miles of the reservation. If this is true, then they would have had to go to the tribe to assure passage (as this would have crossed into LaDonna’s property as the Cannonball River is located just shy of .75 miles from the drill site). With the location of Sacred Stone, they would have been up on the Rez.

I believe we all know DAPL is lying. They didn’t and are holding onto the fact that they did and want to deny that they affect any cultural sites for the tribe, but in a prior section admit there is high probability that there is cultural considerations.

So which is it? They did or didn’t? This would be a good reason to contact Army Corp again and demand the EIS knowing this. Conflict deems a requirement for EIS.

1-7-17 ~ Olowaan Plain… THE WATER WARRIORS WILL STILL BE STANDING FOR THE WATER ACROSS THE WORLD AND ON THE CANNON BALL AND MISSOURI RIVER! WE WILL BE THERE WATCHING AND STANDING UP IN PRAYER FOR THE WATER. WE UNDERSTAND THAT IN THE SPRING THE OECTI CAMP WILL FLOOD BUT WE ARE PLANNING TO MAKE SURE EVERYONE IS SAFE AND TO MAKE SURE THE AREA IS CLEANED UP AND PUT BACK IN THE NATURAL STATE. WE ARE THANKFUL FOR THE VETERANS WHO WILL COME TO HELP. WE WILL FIND PLACES FOR THE PEOPLE TO MOVE SO THEY CAN CONTINUE TO STAND FOR THE WATER. WE ARE THE WATER WE WILL STAND FOR THE WATER.

1-7-17 ~ Isaac Ames… This is Brenda White Bull… Today, just after this recording that I MADE MYSELF, a black truck slowed down and the gentleman sitting shotgun yelled out of the window for her to ‘Go home!’

I can only note the conundrum in this statement because she’s a retired Marine and was a drill instructor at Paris Island from 98′-00′. An honorably discharged MARINE on a walk through America was told to ‘Go home’.

I want everyone to let this sink in for a moment, just mull it over and let it marinate in your head.

Not to put to fine a point on it but I’ve got some questions:

Where are the other Marines that would walk with her? Where are the Marines that have her back? Where are the Marines that would stand beside her? Where are all the other Marines?

Lastly, where exactly is the home she is to go to as an honorably discharged MARINE?!

I thought it was this country but it seems others believe otherwise.

Would any Marines I know care to answer any of these questions?

Perhaps share this post so I can get some answers?

I’ll wait.

Supplemental edit: I spoke with the other walkers and they were all harassed in one form or another by this same vehicle as it traveled down the road. However for the one or two individuals behaving in such a manner there were dozens that showed us a great deal of generosity and support.

I want everyone to know that the McLean County Sheriffs have been very courteous, considerate, and supportive of the Youth Unity Journey for Sacred Waters. If anyone would like to contact them and express their appreciation or gratitude they can be reached day or night at 701-462-8103.

1-7-17 ~ Idle No More Washington… “Hoeven — a former North Dakota governor and vocal supporter of both the Keystone XL and Dakota Access oil pipelines — was elected to lead the committee on Tuesday… The Indian Affairs committee is tasked with proposing legislation that addresses the concerns of “American Indian, Native Hawaiian and Alaska Native peoples,” including land management and economic development… Sen. Hoeven’s new job is ironic because he has repeatedly opposed causes that Native Americans support. The Dakota Access Pipeline is the most recent example. As thousands of (peaceful protectors) from across Indian Country converged on Cannon Ball, North Dakota, over the latter half of 2016 to block the (destructive) pipeline’s completion, Hoeven (erroneously) called the (protection actions) ‘violent’ and asked President Barack Obama to deploy federal law enforcement to quell them…”

Guess it just didn’t occur to them to get an actual American Indian to head the committee on Indian Affairs. Hello? How long are we going to remain the most backward industrialized country on earth? Forever? Is that the plan?

1-6-17 ~ “Some day the earth will weep, she will beg for her life, she will cry her tears of blood. You will make a choice, if you will help her or let her die, and when she dies, you will die too.”
John Hollow Horn

1-6-17 ~ Just a few of the happy dogs here at Standing Rock. They have become great friends.
-Heather

1-5-17~ Jay Caspian Kang… A cheery spirit of industry runs through the Oceti Sakowin camp at Standing Rock. You can hardly walk 50 feet without coming across someone sawing wood or pounding in tent stakes or lugging a crate of canned tomatoes to the kitchen. A small army of independent documentarians-turned-butlers scurry from tent to tipi carrying thermoses of coffee and bowls of powdered soup to tribal leaders. Continue Reading http://tinyurl.com/j9ezaje

1-5-17 ~ Wiyaka Zi Wicasa‎… Yes, there’s a lot of social media misrepresentation. I know there is. From being in the camp and coming back out. For example, the way Dallas and Chase are always on Facebook, acting like they have the authority to speak on or represent us. We are the Traditional Leadership and the Legitimate 1868 Fort Laramie Treaty Representatives. We never gave them permission to speak on our Treaties or on our behalf at Oceti Sakowin. They also talk about donations that we’ve never seen. I’m speaking about the Cheyenne River North Encampment. You might want to know that when you send money to a personal PayPal or Gofundme account then it’s their money to do with as they please. They have done what they please with it and continue to do so. Dallas dipped out with his accounts months ago. It’s my understanding that he had solicited a very sizable sum too. Chase doesn’t even live in the camp. I’m sure he has a Gofundme or PayPal account as well. He had a room as of the 30th, at the casino, and didn’t even invite people from the camps to take showers in his room. No, definitely not Lakota leadership. Our Traditional Leadership is in our camps with us.

1-5-17 ~ Mitra Singh… I understand the problems are far greater than even I can fathom! My hands are tied, I am powerless to do anything as a non-native everything must be native led and solved or it will never work. I do not even deserve to be in any of the camps period!! Back in 1988 I went home with my BFF to the Rez near Riodoso for Thanksgiving and it took my friend’s father an act of congress to even let me come for that weekend. Picked up the axe and started chopping wood… I was not allowed to be there end of story but they let me come, so humbling for me- opposite of humiliation- humility is something totally different!! I come with my own skills, funding and resources willing to share and leave… show me where the axe is and I will start chopping YOU show me where the axe is laid and I will serve. My best friend was afraid I would not appreciate her people but that adobe home with dirt floors would change my life forever. (her later heroin addiction would separate our affections for one another but I still love her and pray she can get clean)

1-4-16 ~ Aho kolas… To live is to survive. Don’t put up a fence if you have more than what your family needs to survive. Make your table bigger. And invite those that have less to nothing. To survive in this world, is to live amongst others in peace and sharing. Not to be humble, but for the race of human beings. Aho kolas

1-2-17 ~ Denying food to people is deplorable even the threat is intimidation and wrong – Paul Schmidtlein

1-2-17 ~ Water Is Life – Vern DeLaronde

1-2-17 Mitra Singh… The story about when the HQ Vet Tent was coming down at Standing Rock December 6th 2016.

Almost all my facebook friends know I have issues around fire. I even have a fire evacuation plan at home the dogs and I drill for. Almost all my devotee friends from the temple also know I had huge issues during my harinama initiation cause of the fire sacrifice that went along with it. Almost all my cannabis buds know because of extra electrical requirements in growing plants I am crazy about the location of the balasts. 2004 I was in an apartment fire so I know everything there is to know about fire dangers and fire safety.

Another veteran, an older officer Vietnam/Korean era stately gentleman voiced his concern to me as I was passing out cold medicine. The large Army tent was not doing well in the wind, 75 mph winds against the canvas was nerve wracking. I know. Puma was panting even though it was cold, the wind was causing Puma distress/fear.

I survey our tent… all I can see are the 3 wood burning stoves keeping everybody warm. I see that canvas coming down onto the stoves, I see these poles coming down and trapping people. I memorize every seem of this structure. Only one way out thru the front door. How long would it take for a fire to spread if only one pole comes down? We are over crowded to begin with well over 40 people in a tent that should only have 20.

I don’t care what President Elect Trump says about “Max occupany limits” there is a reason for this and it has nothing to do with Trumps happiness or distress. There are 3 of these such tents all pitched within a few feet of each other, the speed of the wind should one tent come down in less than 60 seconds seconds a fire would break out and in less than 30 seconds a fire would jump to the next tent (another 40 veterans packed in staying warm on wood or propane stoves). This is a death trap.

I reach into my pocket and feel for my gerber, check. I take full authority to control this situtation. Believe me I got alot of eye rolls… Singh go to sleep…. Hell no! I drill every vet in my tent, where is the closest seem to where they were? do they have a gerber or knife to cut themselves out of the canvas? Count off… how many are in this tent? (the numbers kept changing cause visitors would come in since we were the Headquarters to get warm and leave) We had to have a count.

I drilled into every eye rolling veteran where is our rally point? The old chow hall converted to an aide station about 25 feet away. The tents are fine they say…. they are strong Army tents, state of the art technology we are fine… NO… listen to me. I raise my voice as I have never done before.

I go to the vet tent next door and the tent master stopped me… Oh Singh STHU… these are strong Army tents state of the art technology. At parade rest I stood, “With all due respect Sir”… I tell their tent captain “We have 75 mph winds, the chances of these tents coming down is extremely high, if the tents come down we are over occuppied, we will all die. One veteran in the tent next door asked me under what authority was I speaking? my answer to him was very simple. I lived thru an apartment fire where I was the first first responder on the scene, all the jumpers lived. now I am saying…. where is our rally point? know your seems, know now to cut yourselves out if needed. I got frustrated and left that tent, the tent captain said he was in charge and would make sure his tent was safe. FINE.

I go to the next vet tent with the same song and dance. Puma by my side we cut thru the blizzard, complete white out with the snow and not enough light to find my way to the last tent.

My neighborhood is all aware. They know where the seems are like it or not….. and the rally point was the old chow how.

Everybody, I mean everybody jump to action. As men were holding up the poles the first most important thing we were all doing was putting out the stoves. The men would hold up the tent until ALL fire was out. I saw the next day our stoves were thrown outside the tent! to prevent the whole camp from going up in flames.
Two by two vets were evacuating in a calm and precise manner reporting to the rally point we planned ahead.

So eye roll at me again…… That’s okay, I take no offense cause you do know…. these were the best Army tents around, state of the art technology.

ALL Veterans in our corner of the camp were safe, frozen it seemed but safe.

As a result of everybody’s cooperation and quick thinking this could have turned into a living nightmare putting 120 Veterans lives in danger. I don’t even want to know what could have happend if that canvas came down on our stoves in 75 mph winds.

1-1-17 ~ Mitra Singh… You know what? just give the people back their damn canoes. Okay… a canoe is in no way a threat to National Security, and nobody has ever harmed you from a canoe. Canoes are a very slow means of water transportation, they do not even have a motor. Unless your worried about people paddling upstream in the middle of the winter which is not illegal by the way…. Why, what is the whole point in the confiscation of the canoes? They do not belong to you now GIVE THEM BACK. Are you using these canoes as your trophy? You don’t need any trophy’s for a job not done so well in the first place.

1-1-17 ~ ‎Robert Ferguson… The outlook for Standing Rock 2017. Right now Dapl is poised to drill under the river and complete the pipeline. The only thing holding Dapl up is the Army Corps of Engineers refusal to issue Dapl a permit to drill through the Federally owned Land under Lake Oahe. The President has the final say on the permit. Right now the president is a friend of Standing Rock, the next one doesn’t appear to be so friendly……. According to law, the Corps can call for an EIS – Environmental Impact Statement, and it has promised to do so very soon. An EIS would entail a thorough study of the impacts of the pipeline under the lake, from the first drilling, all the way thru to the expected end of the lifespan of the pipe, and what may happen were the pipe to break spilling crude oil into the lake’s waters….. So what can we expect? We can expect that any day now the Corps will officially begin the EIS process. An EIS could take as long as or more than a year. Only after the EIS is complete and signed off on could the Corps issue said permit. So, we can expect to have the camps in place for another year, at least.

What if there is no EIS and the next president tells the Corps to issue the permit? We can expect to see the water protectors raise hell. We can expect to see thousands more arrests. We can expect to see hundreds of protests in US cities which could become problematic for the PTB – Powers That Be. …. If you agree, now is the time to make your voice heard and maybe we can make the government aware that we will settle for only an EIS, and not given an EIS there will be problems galore for the president, the corps, the state and the county for who knows how long. If we are given the EIS peace will reign for at least a year. The choice is yours government: give the people what they want or the people are going to give you something you don’t want – TROUBLE.